REPORT AND VISION ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT - Powerful Thinking
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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT AND VISION FOR THE UK FESTIVAL INDUSTRY
UK FESTIVAL INDUSTRY
I MPACTS BY NUMBERS
WASTE
23,500
2014 WAS
DECLARED THE
HOTTEST YEAR ON
RECORD
(globally)
32%
Recycled
68%
3.17 TONNES Landfill
OF WASTE ANNUALLY
MILLION
UK MUSIC
FUEL
5 MILLION LITRES
THE UK’S
FESTIVAL
The total litres of fuel used by the UK
SUMMER OF
festival industry annually.
2012 TURNED
GOERS
OUT TO BE THE
WETTEST ON
RECORD IN A
CENTURY
ANNUALLY Average litres of diesel
used at UK music festivals
0.6 LITRES PER
PERSON PER DAY
0.6
LITRES
FESTIVAL CARBON FOOTPRINT BIODIESEL
15%
AVERAGE CARBON AVERAGE CARBON FOOTPRINT
FOOTPRINT (ONSITE) WITH AUDIENCE TRAVEL (CO2e) DIESEL BIODIESEL USE
(CO2e)
Waste
85% Of the 13 medium to large events, with a combined audience
of 1.3m, that used the Julie’s Bicycle Creative IG Tool, over
50% were using some waste vegetable oil (WVO) biodiesel
7%
with an average total consumption of 15% WVO biodiesel
Energy and 85% diesel.
13%
Waste
35%
TRAVEL*
TRAVEL TYPICALLY
Energy Audience Car CONSTITUTES AROUND
80%
65% Travel 80%
Energy Waste Water Audience Travel
HOW THE
UK FESTIVAL OF A FESTIVAL’S
CARBON EMISSIONS Total UK festival
AUDIENCE
TRAVEL
TOTAL KNOWN
CO2e EMISSIONS
industry emissions (not counting artist/crew/
service travel and transport)
(excluding travel)
19,778 TONNES Coach
Lift
Share
C02 per year
Train Campervan
*Please see www.powerful-thinking.org.uk/vision2025/references for an explanation of the travel types breakdown and a full list of
references from the report.
CONTENTS
2 UK FESTIVAL IMPACTS BY NUMBERS
4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
7 FOREWORD
8 INTRODUCTION
10 WHAT THE SCIENCE IS SAYING
12 OVERVIEW OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF UK FESTIVALS
14 THE CURRENT STATE OF PLAY IN THE UK FESTIVAL INDUSTRY
· FESTIVALS
· CERTIFICATION SCHEMES, AWARDS AND INITIATIVES
· SUPPLY CHAIN
16 IMPACTS AND SOLUTIONS
· ENERGY
· WASTE
· AUDIENCE TRAVEL AND TRANSPORT
· WATER
· FOOD
· CARBON BALANCING AND POSITIVE INVESTMENTS
34 CREATING A VISION FOR A SUSTAINABLE UK FESTIVAL INDUSTRY
40 THE BEGINNING OF A ROADMAP
42 FESTIVAL VISION:2025
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This report has been funded and written by the industry think-do tank, Powerful Thinking, with significant support from Julie’s
Bicycle, Festival Republic, Kambe Events and Plaster PR.
Many organisations have been involved in the journey that led to this report being written. Five years ago in Bristol a group of
committed festival organisers and interested parties met to discuss energy management in the festival industry. They formed a
group that became Powerful Thinking, which funds work to tackle shared issues in creating a sustainable festival industry and
provides resources and advice to the industry in the spirit of Creative Commons.
Founding members include Julie’s Bicycle, Kambe Events (Shambala Festival), Festival Republic, Bestival, Firefly Clean Energy,
and the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF). More recently, A Greener Festival, the Production Services Association (PSA),
the Association of Festival Organisers (AFO) and the National Outdoor Events Association (NOEA) have joined the group. De
Montfort University and the Nationwide Catering Association (NCASS) have also contributed significantly along the way.
Special thanks go to Katie Maddison (formerly at Bestival) and Laura Pando (Festival Republic) for their useful comments on
this report; to Alison Tickell (CEO, Julie’s Bicycle) for her mentorship and feedback; to other members of the Julie’s Bicycle
team, Chiara Badiali and Luke Ramsay, for their research, fact checking, data crunching and insights; to Livvy Drake, Jenna
Ansell (Kambe Events) and Ed Cook for their research support and contribution to content. Thanks also to the industry
consultation group set up for this report, who have already begun to get behind the vision: Tom Lawson at UK Festival Awards,
Michelle Tayton at the Event Production Show, Tom Hall at Access All Areas magazine, Caroline Clift at Standout magazine,
Johnny Lance at the Showman’s Show and Greg Palmer at the ILMC; and finally to Bethan Riach for her copy-editing.
The lead author is Chris Johnson, co-founder and Chair of Powerful Thinking, co-founder and Operations Director at Shambala
Festival, and the Associate for Festivals and Events at Julie’s Bicycle.
FUNDERS
SUPPORTING ORGANISATIONS
www.dovetonpress.co.uk
carrie@dovetonpress.co.uk
4
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Powerful Thinking was established in 2010 as a not-for-profit industry group focused on
tackling energy-related issues at festivals. It has provided a forum to support research,
explore issues and develop solutions, and has developed free-to-use resources which support
festivals to reduce their environmental impacts. The release of this report recognises a
broader aspiration in the group to tackle other sustainability-related issues the industry
shares. The group has representation from over 250 festivals through membership
organisations.
The Show Must Go On report was 80% of festival organisers participating in the Industry Green
Manifesto Survey (May 2015) stated that, ‘they are committed
conceived as an industry response to the
to improving performance,’ and that, 'the industry should
United Nations Framework Convention on work together towards shared standards.’
Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Paris, 2015.
The top five priorities put forward by UK festival organisers, in
order of priority are:
The report aims to:
1 Sustainable approaches to energy.
• Outline the environmental impacts of the UK festival
2 Standard approach to serve-ware and packaging.
industry in an accessible format.
3 Use of reusable cups.
• Provide a robust basis for an industry-wide approach to
reducing environmental impacts. 4 A standard approach to waste management systems.
• Promote action. 5 Sustainable travel policies.
With a view to meeting the UK national target of a 50% Through modelling carbon impact scenarios for different
reduction in green house gas (GHG) emissions by 2025, the reduction measures, and exploring precedents, the report
report brings together all known UK research and analyses the finds that the industry can realistically reduce its annual global
most comprehensive datasets available on the environmental GHG emissions by 50% within 10 years through incremental
impact of festivals. It explores individual precedents and changes to:
considers industry-wide scenarios for reductions.
• Reduce diesel consumption by 50%, through efficiency and
The report, based on 279 UK summer music festivals, finds alternatives.
that the industry is responsible for approximately: • Achieve 55% recycling rates.
• Increase car occupancy and shared transport options.
• 20 kilotonnes of C02e annually (onsite emissions)1.
• 100 kilotonnes C02e annually, including audience travel. Fear of increased costs, lack of internal resources and the time
• 23,500 tonnes waste. to make changes, along with lack of expertise in sustainable
approaches are the three most common reasons for festivals
• 5 million litres of diesel consumption.
not adopting sustainable practices. When asked what support
Also that: would help festivals organisers to make changes, the three
areas of focus put forward were:
• Environmental responsibility is important to festivalgoers
(according to audience survey data). • Training for the management team.
• 5% of UK festivals are formally engaged with an • Opportunities to share and exchange knowledge with
environmental certification scheme. other organisers.
• Typical recycling rates are likely to be lower than 32%. • Case studies showing how practices have improved
• Energy is typically 65% of a festival's onsite C02e footprint. sustainability.
• Waste is typically 35% of a festival’s onsite C02e footprint.
Festival Vision:2025 aims to galvanise the existing
• When including audience travel, onsite emissions are commitment in the festival industry to act together on climate
typically 20% of total festival-related emissions and
change by setting out clear aims and the beginnings of a
audience travel accounts for up to 80%.
roadmap for action.
• There are significant blind spots for data on contractor and
artist travel.
1
Carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) is a measure used to compare the global warming potential of different types of greenhouse gases (e.g. methane and nitrous oxide),
using carbon dioxide (CO2) as a reference. 5
Festivals can reduce their environmental impacts and play a The Festival Vision:2025 Pledge aims to bring together those
valuable and inspiring role in shaping a positive future. This will festivals who wish to take action. Please consider joining the
be made much easier, more cost-effective and successful if we growing number of committed festival organisers by signing
work together as an industry, and begin to resource an industry the Festival Vision:2025 Pledge at: www.powerful-thinking.
body which can support and guide this process through: org.uk/vision2025.
• Research, development and coordination of free-to-use This report and vision initiative was included in a briefing on
resources — including support and partnerships with international creative responses to climate change, submitted
existing industry initiatives. along with a letter signed by cultural leaders and artists, to
• The provision of objective and qualified advice and Christiana Figeuras, Executive Secretary at the UNFCCC, at
training to the industry on a not-for-profit basis. COP 21 in Paris 2015.
• Annual industry reports to track progress.
• Nurturing the collective aspiration.
Summary of recommendations from the report:
The report sets out a number of key recommendations which will enable festivals to meet the challenge of achieving
a 50% reduction in emissions compared to 2014 by 2025, these are summarised as follows:
OVERALL ENERGY
• Measure impacts and progress through robust reporting. • Monitor energy as standard in contractual
agreements.
• Achieve an 8% reduction in GHG emissions per year
until 2020, and 5% per year until 2025. • A 50% reduction in diesel consumption.
• Engage audiences and stakeholders in positive action
• Diversification toward renewable sources.
on climate change.
FOOD
WASTE
• Source as locally as possible.
• Reduce amount and number of types of waste.
• Establish minimum standards based on
• Segregate materials onsite.
credible certifications.
• Achieve a 50% recycling rate (of total materials
• Reduce food waste.
present onsite).
• Accurate reporting on waste, supported by an • Reduce meat and dairy consumption.
industry-wide approach.
OTHER
TRAVEL • Balance unavoidable emissions through credible
• Measure contractor and artist travel. carbon reduction initiatives.
• Increase car occupancy and use of public transport. • Work with the supply chain to share the journey
toward reducing impacts.
• Consider carbon balancing initiatives to recognise
unavoidable emissions. • Reduce impacts from offices.
6
FOREWORD
“ AS FESTIVAL ORGANISERS WE KNOW HOW
TO CREATE UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCES
AND HOW TO INSPIRE PEOPLE. WE
KNOW HOW TO GET THINGS DONE IN
CHALLENGING CIRCUMSTANCES AND WE
ARE ACCOMPLISHED AT COMMUNICATING
WITH AUDIENCES. THE EARTH IS LITERALLY
ON THE VERGE OF ECOLOGICAL COLLAPSE,
AND IT IS WELL WITHIN OUR REACH TO
TURN OUR INDUSTRY INTO AN EXEMPLAR OF
ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY. IF WE CAN
CREATE SPACE IN OUR BUSY LIVES AND PULL
TOGETHER AS AN INDUSTRY, WE CAN MAKE
A VITAL AND SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO
A FUTURE THAT WE WANT OUR CHILDREN TO
INHERIT. FESTIVAL ORGANISERS WORKING
WITH THEIR MANY AND DIVERSE PARTNERS,
FROM CONCESSIONS TO THE SUPPLY CHAIN,
CONTRACTORS, CHARITIES AND BRANDS, CAN
PROVIDE LEADERSHIP FOR WHAT IS PERHAPS
THE MOST IMPORTANT CONVERSATION OF
OUR TIME. THE SHOW MUST GO ON…
Chris Johnson, Chair, Powerful Thinking ”
INTRODUCTION
Festivals are places of celebration, political and environmental issues to be
There are now community, inspiration and innovation. They
play an increasingly prominent role in the
expressed, explored and shared.
hundreds of cultural landscape of the UK. The modern These festivals are offering increasingly
diverse creative experiences to their
camping-based British music festival emerged in the late
1960s, with firm roots in the countercultures audiences. The power of the arts in general
summer music of the time. Brecon Jazz, Reading, to connect with people is profound, reflecting
fears and hopes, exploring difficult societal
festivals in the Glastonbury and the Isle of Wight Festival
(along with Woodstock in the USA) all narratives and providing new insights and
UK, with an began in the late 1960s and early 1970s and understanding. Many festivals already
explore environmental issues through
audience of more brought with them a very visible expression
of narratives which challenged mainstream their programmed content, initiatives and
than three million politics and ways of life. Over the last fifty partnerships, but there is a significant
opportunity for festivals to contribute
people annually.2 years British festivals, despite significant
commercialisation, have continued to provide more decisively to the climate change
a valuable space in society for new genres of conversation and the movement toward a
music and art forms, and for contemporary sustainable future.
PORTISHEAD AT LATITUDE 2015, PHOTO © MARK SETH
2
Music Tourism: Wish You Were Here (UK Music: 2013), identifies 279 annual music festivals taking place in the UK, and reports an attendance of 2.79 million in 2012 — lower than usual due to the Olympics.
Email correspondence with UK Music updated the attendance figure for 2013 to 3.17 million. Some reports suggest there are as many as 500 or even 800 festivals but we have decided to adopt official figures
for this report.
FESTIVALS ARE UNIQUELY PLACED
TO TAKE PART IN THE CLIMATE CHANGE
CONVERSATION DEFINITION OF ‘FESTIVAL
Festivals intrinsically support, create and exhibit cutting edge ideas INDUSTRY’ AND ‘FESTIVAL’ IN
and creativity; they have captive and ‘switched-on’ audiences who are
THE SHOW MUST GO ON REPORT
willing to immerse themselves in the festival experience and buy into the
brands and ethos of the events they attend. Many events attract younger This report considers the environmental
demographics and so can reach the decision makers of tomorrow; and impact of the festival industry based on
festivals have the power to harness media exposure. a study of UK summer music festivals;
it refers to 'festivals' and the ‘festival
The festival sector is yet to develop a collective commitment or a industry’ in the specific context of UK
consistent, shared approach to sustainability. It is this that The Show
summer music festivals. For the pur-
pose of this report the definition of ‘UK
Must Go On report seeks to address by articulating a collective vision
summer music festival’ is: a multi-day
from the industry based on common aspirations, identifying the practical
ticketed event that is primarily music
and realistic mechanisms available to us to reduce our impacts, exploring
based and held in an outdoor green
how we share this journey and how we measure our success. space. It does not include events that
are free to access, urban arts events that
It is important to acknowledge that we are in the business of creating
are not primarily music based, sporting
enjoyable, inspiring and often escapist or hedonistic experiences, and it is events, events which can be considered
not the intention of this report to suggest that all festivals primarily focus a ‘concert’ (i.e. a one-off event, which has
on environmental issues in their relationship with audiences. However, sold tickets specifically on the basis of a
we can choose to manage our businesses more responsibly and take single headline act) or any other type of
an active role in one of the most important conversations of our time, event outside of the definition provided.
whatever our starting point.
The Show Must Go On report “Making better use of what we
offers clear evidence and already have by cutting out waste,
direction for meaningful action whether it’s fuel, food, packaging
on climate change. This issue or consumption, ought to be a
is bigger than any one of us no-brainer as it will not only
can tackle alone, and we look save money but it could save our
forward to sharing this journey planet. Let’s get that estimated
to become a pioneering industry festival audience of three million
through our environmental onside and on message.”
practices.”
BOB WILSON, HEAD OF EVENTS,
GREENPEACE UK
MELVIN BENN,
FESTIVAL REPUBLIC
9
WHAT THE SCIENCE
IS SAYING
“In recent decades,
changes in climate
have caused impacts Climate change is unequivocally occurring and evidence for
human influence on the climate system is clear.4 Due to human
on natural and activities GHG emissions have increased by 70% between 1970
and 2004. GHGs trap heat in the atmosphere, resulting in a
human systems on all warming of the atmosphere and a destabilisation of our climate
systems, rising sea levels, ocean acidification, heatwaves,
continents and across droughts and other extreme weather conditions.
the oceans.” 3 We have quite literally changed the chemical composition of our
atmosphere and dramatically changed the nature of the land and
the oceans.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
Record-Breaking
Weather
After starting the year facing a
severe drought, the UK’s summer
of 2012 turned out to be the
wettest on record in a century.5
2014 has been declared the
hottest year on record (globally).6
2014 was also the UK’s warmest
year since records began in 1910,
and the fourth wettest, causing
flooding in many parts of the
country.7
These weather conditions
directly affect the outdoor
events industry in a variety of
ways; they impact upon the
audience experience, incur extra
costs associated with more
weather-proof infrastructure
and contingencies, and they
increase insurance costs and
travel disruptions.
3 IPCC, Climate Change 2014: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability – Working Group II Contribution to Assessment Report 5 (IPCC: 2014). Online at http://www.ipcc-wg2.gov/AR5/
4 IPCC, Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis – Working Group I Contribution to Assessment Report 5, (IPCC: 2013). Online at http://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar5/wg1/
10
5 Met Office. Online at http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/2012/summer.html and http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/news/releases/archive/2012/second-wettest-summer
6 NASA, ‘NASA, NOAA Find 2014 Warmest Year in Modern Record’ (NASA: 16 Jan 2015). Online at http://www.nasa.gov/press/2015/january/nasa-determines-2014-warmest-year-in-modern-record/
7 UK Met Office, ‘2014 confirmed as UK’s warmest year on record’ (UK Met Office: 15 Jan 2015). Online at http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/news/releases/archive/2015/Record-UK-temps-2014The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was set up
to provide a comprehensive summary of the scientific data on climate
change and what we know about our world’s climate systems, to help
Safe levels of
inform policy decisions. Its Assessment Reports have hundreds of
authors, compile the work of thousands of scientists, and are perhaps the
atmospheric carbon
most audited scientific documents in history.
dioxide
The recent Fifth Assessment Report, published in 2014, makes it clear The generally accepted ‘safe’ level of CO2 in
that if we are going to keep global warming below the internationally the atmosphere that we should be aiming
agreed threshold of 2°C, thought to be the upper limit for minimising the towards is 350 ppm (parts per million).
most catastrophic consequences of irreversible climate change, we will Pre-industrial levels of CO2 in the atmos-
need to reach virtually zero emissions of CO2 and other GHGs by the end phere were 280 ppm. In 2013, they briefly
of this century.8 breached 400 ppm in some parts of the
world for the first time in millions of years.
The Fifth Assessment Report for the first time also included a carbon As a point of comparison Homo sapiens i.e.
budget for the 2°C target for governments, of which over two-thirds
modern humans, have only been around for
roughly 200,000 years. We are currently in-
has already been used up. At current rates of use the world would burn
creasing the concentration by about 2 ppm
through the rest in less than thirty years. For the best chance of avoiding
annually and in March 2015 levels were
severe levels of warming, we will need to peak emissions very soon,
over 400 ppm for a month globally for the
rapidly phase down fossil fuels and improve energy efficiency.
first time since records began.9 We are the
first human beings to breathe air containing
The UK Climate Change Act (2008) commits the UK government to
this much CO2. Even if we cut emissions
reduce UK GHG emissions by 50% by 2025 and 80% by 2050 compared
drastically, the concentration of CO2 in the
to a 1990 baseline. Achieving this will require ambitious collaboration
atmosphere won’t drop immediately: it will
between the government, business and the public.
take a century or more for natural process-
es to reduce it.
We have chosen to concentrate the narrative of this report on GHG
emissions, due to their central role in climate change, and because we can
consistently use GHGs as a universal unit of measurement for most types
of impact. However, we recognise that the environmental impacts of our
industry are varied in their type, manifestation and implications.
UK festival
industry emissions
excluding travel is
19,778 TONNES
80% C02 per year
Legally binding national reductions by 2050
11
8
IPCC, Climate Change 2014: Synthesis Report – Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to Assessment Report 5 (IPCC: 2014). Online at http://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar5/syr/
9
Adam Vaughan, ‘Global carbon dioxide levels break 400 ppm milestone’ (The Guardian: 6 May 2015). Online at http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/may/06/global-
carbon-dioxide-levels-break-400ppm-milestoneAN OVERVIEW OF THE
ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACTS OF UK
FESTIVALS
All festivals have ecological footprints; they consume energy, provided the industry with a first glimpse of quantitative
water, food and materials, and they produce waste and carbon information about its impacts. These provide a great starting
emissions. Julie’s Bicycle have recently published emissions point to build on our understanding of individual festival and
benchmarks for UK greenfield camping festivals and have collective industry impacts.
THE UK FESTIVAL INDUSTRY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR
20,000 TONNES OF ONSITE EMISSIONS (C02e) PER YEAR
THE JULIE’S BICYCLE BENCHMARKS, NOVEMBER 2014 These benchmarks have been derived
from the data of thirteen large (more
than 20,000 attendees) UK greenfield
camping festivals spanning 2011,
Biodiesel Recycling 2012 and 2013 (one festival with less
consumption rate
12.5 LITRES than 20,000 attendees was included
as its data aligned well with the
15% benchmark median). In each case the
32% most recent available year of verified
per audience day
data was selected.
It is the first industry dataset
on recycling rates and biodiesel
consumption. Diesel consumption
includes both red diesel and biodiesel.
2.8 KG Biodiesel is zero-rated for carbon
2.3 KG CO2E
emissions in the analysis, under the
assumption that it is reprocessed
0.6 LITRES
waste vegetable oil.
PLEASE NOTE that these benchmarks are likely
to indicate a performance that is better than
Diesel Waste Total resulting Water
the average festival, as the data is currently
emissions
drawn from events that are already actively
addressing environmental sustainability.
120.
5
0
5
0
5
0
5
0
PE
AVERAGE CARBON AVERAGE CARBON
The current benchmark for FOOTPRINT
CO e per audience day (per person
2
FOOTPRINT
AVERAGE BREAKDOWN
ONSITE CARBON BREAKDOWN WITH AUDIENCE
per day on site) at large UK festivals with camping (events
TRAVEL (CO2e)
with over 20,000 attendees) is 2.3 kg. This includes direct 10
FOOTPRINT
(CO2e) BREAKDOWN (CO2e) impacts from diesel use, water use and waste – but does not
include indirect impacts such as transport or crew, artist, and
Waste
audience travel. CO2e is an intangible concept for many, but
7%
nonetheless it is the accepted global unit of measurement and
Energy comparison for climate change related impacts. Our challenge
is to measure the impacts of our industry robustly and find
13%
ways to communicate this meaningfully.
Waste
35%
With a total annual estimated audience of 3.17 million DIESEL
85%
festivalgoers, we can extrapolate the emissions of the UK
festival industry, excluding travel, at an approximate 19,778
tonnes or 19.78 kilotonnes annually.11 If audience travel is
Energy Audience
included, this figure rises to 97.93 kilotonnes.12
65% Travel 80%
Energy Waste Water Audience Travel
We must recognise that the breakdown of onsite emissions can vary considerably between events. For some festival producers,
measuring the carbon footprint of their event is a way to prioritise new measures in an effort to reduce impacts and to measure
year-on-year progress.
It is important to note that the above breakdown does not consider supply chain impacts, such as off-site contractor travel,
food and drink production, or embodied energy in the materials used and consumed onsite. How to accurately measure these
impacts, and where the responsibility for these emissions lies is complex and beyond the scope of this report. It’s also worth
noting that while water does not have a high carbon impact, overconsumption of limited freshwater resources poses other
environmental challenges.
Who is responsible for but which can be influenced e.g. supply chain impacts
and audience travel.
the carbon emissions The limited research that exists suggests that festival-
goers believe that festival organiser’s are responsible
from festivals? for the environmental impacts of their event. In the A
Greener Festival audience survey conducted by Buck-
In virtually all carbon accounting methodologies and inghamshire New University, 90% of the festivalgoers in
approaches, businesses are considered responsible for 2012 who responded believed that festival organisers
the emissions directly attributable to their operations. should be responsible for minimising the environmental
This includes energy, waste, water and transport for impact of festivals, 80% believed festivalgoers should
staff and infrastructure deliveries. In addition there are also be responsible and only 30% thought local authori-
impacts that are outside an organisation’s direct control ties carried any responsibility.13
10
Creative Industry Green Tool Benchmarks: Festivals 3rd edition (Julie’s Bicycle: 2014). Online at http://www.juliesbicycle.com/services/ig-tools/julies-bicycle-benchmarks
11
This figure was derived using the Julie’s Bicycle Benchmark of 2.3 kg CO2e per audience day, annual festival attendance of 3.17 million, and an average festival length of 2.7 days,
from Music Tourism: Wish You Were Here (UK Music: 2013). For the purposes of this report, we have chosen to use the attendance figure for 2013 as supplied by UK Music in email
correspondence and used in their report, Measuring Music (UK Music: 2014). Their methodology, based on ticket sale figures, is explained in more detail in Music Tourism: Wish You Were
Here (UK Music, 2013), which reported an attendance of 2.79 million in 2012 – lower than usual due to the Olympics. It should be noted that their event definition slightly differs from
what we would consider the key focus for this report (multi-day music festivals featuring camping) in that they have included some non-camping events such as the Proms, but excluded
some camping outdoor events such as WOMAD. However, 3.17 million is the best available and most reliable figure and is also endorsed by the industry, and any attendance estimates
will always contain some margin of error, so we feel confident in using it for the basis of this report.
12
This figure was derived using Julie’s Bicycle audience travel default averages for greenfield festivals (average return distances in parentheses) of 70% car (225 miles), 15% coach (300
miles), 13% train (225 miles), and 1% domestic flights (1800 miles). We also consulted surveys undertaken by Virtual Festival and A Greener Festival, which suggested a similar split of
13
transport modes.
13
A Greener Festival, What Fans Want: Green Events – And Their Fave Band! (A Greener Festival/Buckinghamshire New University: 2013). Online at http://www.agreenerfestival.
com/2013/01/what-fans-want-green-events-and-their-fave-band/THE CURRENT STATE
OF PLAY IN THE UK
FESTIVAL INDUSTRY
FESTIVALS Overall information on specific actions
is patchy due to the absence of an
Whilst it should be recognised that
event organisers already engaged with
industry-wide reporting mechanism. environmental practices are more likely
to respond to a survey of this nature,
Only around 5% of UK summer music and as a result this isn’t likely to reflect
In May 2015 the AIF, AFO and Kambe
festivals hold formal environmental practice across the entire industry, it
Events conducted a survey asking
accreditation or green awards.14 does provide an indication of the areas
UK festival organisers about their
However, many more events and that festival organisers are focusing on.
environmental practices, priorities and
promoters are engaging with
environmental sustainability in their aspirations.16 Fourty-seven festivals
The most common practices, perhaps
operations through less formal channels. participated, representing almost
unsurprisingly, are tackling waste,
17% of UK summer music festivals
audience travel and energy use. Less
According to an International Live and including a wide variety of event
than half of the festivals surveyed have
Music Conference (ILMC) 2013 survey types, sizes and locations.17 Four out focused on food sourcing or trader
of eighty-two festival organisers, it of five organisers said that they had engagement, gaining certification of
is now ‘commonplace for festival
an environmental policy in place. The any kind, or measuring their carbon
organisers to factor in measures to
survey also asked what other practices impacts.
combat environmental consequences
events had in place, with the results
when planning their events’.15
shown in the box below.
THE GREEN ACTIONS FESTIVALS ARE TAKING
78%
SAY THEY HAVE AN
Percentage of participants by type of measure
ENVIRONMENTAL
WE ARE ISO20121 ACCREDITED
OTHER
POLICY
WE HAVE A TRADERS GREEN AWARD
WE HAVE ENTERED THE ‘A GREENER FESTIVAL’ AWARD
WE USE JULIE’S BICYCLE INDUSTRY GREEN TOOL TO MEASURE OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT
WE HAVE MINIMUM FOOD STANDARDS FOR TRADERS (E.G. FREE-RANGE EGGS)
WE MEASURE AND ADDRESS OUR CARBON EMISSIONS
WE HAVE A SUSTAINABLE PROCUREMENT POLICY
WE USE REUSABLE CUPS ON OUR FESTIVAL SITE
WE SUPPORT ENVIRONMENTAL CHARITIES
WE ARE TACKLING ENERGY USE
WE PROMOTE AND INCENTIVISE SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL
WE HAVE ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES ONSITE
WE HAVE A STRATEGY TO REDUCE WASTE AND INCREASE RECYCLING
0% 80%
14
This percentage assumes a total of 279 known UK summer music festivals. In 2015, there are 13 UK festivals currently certified through Julie’s Bicycle Industry Green Certification, 12
UK festivals accredited with an A Greener Festival Award and 10 festivals engaged with the Festival Energy Revolution initiative.
14
15
ILMC, European Festival Report 2013 (IQ Magazine, Issue 50: Nov 2013). Online at http://issuu.com/gregiq/docs/iq50
16
The Industry Green Manifesto Survey (Kambe Events in association with the AIF and AFO: May 2015).
17
Based on 279 UK summer music festivals.CERTIFICATION SCHEMES, The London 2012 Games significantly raised the profile of
event sustainability nationally and internationally, leaving
AWARDS AND INITIATIVES a legacy of information online, and inspiring many event
management companies to engage with the environmental
management system ISO20121. Whilst we cannot determine
the impact of these wider developments on festival industry
It is notable that many of the events and festivals that
engagement with any accuracy — there are no reliable figures
participate in certification schemes, awards and other
for the number of festivals formally ISO20121 certified,
initiatives, have multiple strategies in place — this implys
although it is likely to be negligible — it is anecdotally
that there is a core group of promoters who are committed to
recognised to have helped to make sustainability a more
addressing their environmental impacts and to integrating
mainstream concept for the events industry, in particular by
sustainability into their operations.
engaging the supply chain.
In 2014, nine UK festivals undertook the A Greener Festival
assessment and five of them were awarded Julie’s Bicycle
Creative Industry Green (IG) Certification. 18
The Powerful Thinking initiative (the UK festival industry’s
think-do tank for sustainable energy) includes among its
steering group members three major festival promoters
representing six UK festivals, and the membership
organisations; AIF and AFO, who collectively represent 257
events.19
Twenty-one festival-related organisations and suppliers, including
six UK festivals, have contributed to the A Greener Festival
‘Festival Wood' project — a wild forest regeneration initiative.20
There are no official figures for the number of events that have
worked with the ‘Love Your Tent’ initiative, which aims to
reduce the amount of tents left at festivals, although at least
ten festivals have been involved.21
Most recently, ten festivals launched the Energy Revolution
initiative, a project tackling the impact of audience, artist
and supplier travel by engaging festivalgoers, artists and
companies in the issue and offering a point of sale donation to
balance emissions.22
THE SUPPLY CHAIN
The wider supply chain has begun to embrace sustainability, with increasing numbers of event industry companies in the UK
developing sustainable products and services. This is noticeable at trade shows, with both the Showman’s Show and the Event
Production Show reporting increases in exhibitors showcasing green products or services.
The move towards certified supplier sustainability is also driven by the demands of the corporate events industry. As increasing
numbers of corporate event organisers commit to formally reducing their environmental footprint, more suppliers are acquiring
the ISO 14001 environmental management certification to ensure they can meet their client’s needs. Just over 50% of festival
organisers who responded to the Green Manifesto Survey said that they had an ethical procurement policy in place, which may
be influencing the supply chain in the same way.
18
The nine A Greener Festival awarded festivals were: Cambridge Folk Festival, Shambala Festival, Glastonbury Festival, Wood Festival, End of the Road, Greenbelt, Nozstock: the Hidden Valley, T in the
Park and also BBC Radio 2 and Proms in Hyde Park. The five Creative Industry Green certified were: Latitude Festival, Reading Festival, Leeds Festival, Shambala Festival and BBC Radio 2 in Hyde Park.
19
The six UK festivals directly represented on the steering group are Bestival, Camp Bestival, Latitude, Reading, Leeds, Shambala. Details online at http://www.powerful-thinking.org.uk.
20
The full list is available online at http://treesforlife.org.uk/plant-trees/grove/6419/
21
Isle of Wight Festival, Kendal Calling, Rewind Festival, Nozstock: the Hidden Valley, Reading Festival, Leeds Festival, Latitude Festival, V Festival, Truck Festival, YNot Festival.
22
Bestival, Boomtown, Kendal Calling, Starry Skies, Love Saves the Day, The Secret Garden Party, Standon Calling, Wilderness, Shambala and Camp Bestival.IMPACTS AND
SOLUTIONS
Impacts and Solutions: Energy
The most recent IPCC report The benchmark for fuel consumption
4.96
at festivals, recently published by
states that in order to keep
Julie’s Bicycle, is 0.6 litres per person
below 2°C of warming we per day, or per ‘audience day’. Among
will need to drastically the thirteen medium to large events
MILLION decarbonize our energy
supply, moving away from
(with a combined audience of 1.3
million) included in the analysis for this
LITRES
TOTAL ANNUAL FUEL
fossil fuels in favour of
alternatives, reducing
energy demand and adopting
AT BESTIVAL ALL OF THE
CAMPSITES ARE RUN ON WASTE
VEGETABLE OIL BIOFUEL. FOOD, TENTS
AND CAMPING EQUIPMENT AND EVEN
CONSUMPTION FOR UK efficiency measures.24 LEFT OVER FANCY DRESS ARE COLLECTED
FESTIVALS 23 A 2011 study estimated that only 3%
AND DIRECTED TO THOSE IN NEED. COOKING
OIL BECOMES BIO FUEL, ALL SCENERY IS
of UK festival energy demand was REUSED AND RE-PURPOSED AND THEY ARE
being met through waste vegetable oil WORKING TO INCREASE RENEWABLE
0.6
biodiesel, and less than 1% of overall ENERGY, MEASURE AND
energy supply was being met through
ANALYSE RESULTS.
other temporary renewable energy
LITRES
technologies (solar and wind).25 Since
benchmark, over 50% of the events were
then, demand for more sustainable
using some waste vegetable oil (WVO)
solutions has been steadily growing,
biodiesel with a total consumption of
OF DIESEL with companies that offer renewable
energy solutions reporting significant
15% WVO biodiesel and 85% diesel.
PER PERSON growth in the past three years.26
Five events were using ‘some’ renewable
energy. This increase from an estimated
PER DAY We have experienced a tangible shift in
the nature of the industry conversation
figure of 3% WVO biodiesel used in 2011
is likely to represent a wider trend in the
AVERAGE FOR UK around approaches to power in the
industry, but perhaps one that is slower
FESTIVALS festival industry: in 2015 65% of festival
than the figures imply as the benchmark
data is derived from festivals that are
organisers said that they are tackling
actively engaged with measuring and
energy use as one of their top three
reducing their environmental impact,
environmental priorities. 27
so it is probable that they use a larger
percentage of WVO biodiesel than
average.
23
This figure has been extrapolated using the Julie’s Bicycle Benchmark of 0.58 L per audience day, annual festival attendance of 3.17 million, and an average festival length of 2.7 days
from Music Tourism: Wish You Were Here (UK Music, 2013).
24
IPCC, Climate Change 2014: Synthesis Report – Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to Assessment Report 5 (IPCC:, 2014). Online at http://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar5/syr/
25
Joel Baker (MSc Climate Change and Policy), What are the barriers to operationalizing and expanding temporary renewable energy capacity at UK music festivals? (Sussex University:
2011). Please note that this study used a more generous definition of music events, counting 500 UK festivals (rather than the 279 counted b UK Music in Music Tourism: Wish You
16
Were Here (2013). This discrepancy is likely due to differing definitions of ‘festival’ e.g. including local authority events and fairs.
26
Source: Reported growth by Midas UK Ltd and Firefly Clean Energy, Jan 2015.
27
Industry Green Manifesto Survey (Kambe Events et al: May 2015).OVERVIEW OF POTENTIAL FOR REDUCTIONS
OVERVIEW OF THE IMPACT OF FOSSIL FUEL (DIESEL) USE ON UK FESTIVAL CARBON FOOTPRINTS AND THE
FEASIBILITY OF REDUCTION MEASURES
Typical percentage that fossil fuel use 65%
contributes to the onsite carbon footprint of
a festival
Total amount CO2e produced by festivals 12,919 tonnes
annually due to fossil fuel use
Total estimated fossil fuel used by 4,964,220 litres
festivals annually
Key opportunities to reduce fossil fuel use and • Reduce energy demand.
associated impacts • More efficient system design.
• Use of alternatives to fossil fuels e.g. solar, wind and kinetic
power, and sustainable biofuels.
• Use of new energy technology e.g. hybrid generators, batteries,
hydrogen fuel cells and real-time monitoring.
Summary of the feasibility of opportunities to • High potential for reductions proven in various event contexts.
reduce fossil fuel use • Strong and growing market in new solutions both in the UK and
in other countries.
• Possibility of stronger incentives both financial and through
policy as in the future governments will focus on energy to meet
Climate Change Act, EU, and UN targets on carbon reductions.
There are a number of ways that organisers can reduce fossil fuel emissions from energy:
• Reduce energy demand e.g. by using more energy efficient equipment,
or working with end users to accurately assess their requirements.
• Increase the use of renewable energy sources
e.g. by using greener fuels and hybrid or solar systems where possible.
• Increase generator efficiency e.g. by correctly sizing generators.
The main cause of fuel wastage is lack of information about requirements
and lack of communication between energy users and festivals.28 A study
of eight festivals in 2012 found that it was common for generators to
be twice the size required to meet peak demand.29 Festival Republic
have monitored generators at Reading and Leeds festivals for three
years, finding that there was scope for generators to be reduced in size
and number, with fuel saved accordingly. In 2014 Glastonbury Festival
undertook a comprehensive energy-monitoring project in partnership
with the University of the West of England (UWE).30 They found that
a large proportion of the generators monitored were significantly
oversized for their purpose, confirming what the various previous
industry research published in the Power Behind Festivals Guide has
highlighted as a key issue and opportunity for energy reductions.31
28
Powerful Thinking, Power Behind Festivals: A Guide to Sustainable Power at Outdoor Events,(Powerful Thinking: 2012) p. 3.
29
Ben Marchini, Festivals and Sustainability: Reducing energy related greenhouse gas emissions at music festivals (Institute of Energy and Sustainable Development, De Montfort
17
University: 2013).
30
From a presentation by Rob Scully at Green Events & Innovations Conference (hosted by A Greener Festival and Bucks New University: March 2015).
31
Power Behind Festivals (Powerful Thinking: 2012) as above note.Impacts and Solutions: Energy
PRECEDENTS
Between 2010 and 2014 Shambala Festival (a UK based event, Croissant Neuf Summer party (UK, capacity 5,000) was
capacity 15,000) made the transition from 100% red diesel powered by 100% solar power, with the main stage PA requiring
generators to 100% renewable power onsite, with no increases in less power than an average domestic kettle. The Showman's
relative costs.32 This was achieved by reducing energy demand, Show, whilst not a ‘summer festival’, has reduced their
introducing hybrid waste vegetable oil (WVO), solar power diesel consumption by 50% in one year by gaining accurate
systems and generator efficiency measures. These steps have energy requirements and considering the system design in
contributed to Shambala reducing its carbon footprint by 81% in detail. Boomtown Fair (UK, capacity 50,000), has made a
five years.33 Extrema Outdoors (Netherlands, capacity 30,000), contractual agreement with their energy supplier to reduce
achieved a reduction in energy demand of 62% over four years diesel consumption by 10% annually for three years, monitor all
between 2012 and 2015. They also reduced the number of generators and provide detailed reports.
generators by 32% and the total running hours by 59%.
SCENARIOS FOR REDUCING IMPACTS
SCENARIOS FOR THE REDUCTION OF DIESEL USE ON TOTAL UK FESTIVAL CO2e EMISSIONS
Scenario 1 Scenario 2 Scenario 3 Scenario 4
10% reduction in diesel 30% reduction in diesel 50% reduction in diesel 100% renewable
Unit CO2e (t) Unit CO2e (t) Unit CO2e(t) Unit CO2e (t)
Diesel (L) 4,467,798 11,627 3,474,954 9,043 2,482,110 6,459 0 0
Waste (t) 23,537 6,822 23,537 6,822 23,537 6,822 23,537 6,822
Water (m3) 107,330 37 107,330 37 107,330 37 107,330 37
Total CO2e (t) 18,486 15,902 13,318 6,859
Reduction in 7% 20% 33% 65%
industry emissions
SUMMARY RECOMMENDATIONS
For the entire industry to transition to and reduction of energy demand.34
100% renewable power (scenario 4) Combined with the rapid advancement 50% REDUCTION IN
within the next decade may be unrealistic, of hybrid technology and the growth in DIESEL CONSUMPTION
although it has to be noted that there are usage of more sustainable fuels, a 50%
precedents for this for small to medium- reduction in red diesel use (scenario 3) ENERGY MONITORING
sized festivals (in the UK Shambala seems achievable. AS STANDARD IN
Festival and Croissant Neuf Summer
CONTRACTUAL
Party and in Portugal Boom Festival have
achieved this scenario).
This would deliver a 33% reduction AGREEMENTS
in overall festival industry emissions;
A more pragmatic stance would be to two thirds of the total that needs DIVERSIFICATION
align a strategy with industry research, to be realised to meet the national TOWARD RENEWABLE
which strongly suggests most events government target of halving overall SOURCES
can achieve a 30% reduction in fuel use emissions by 2025.
through better planning, system design
18
32
Source: Presentation by Shambala Festival at ADE Green Conference: 2014.
33
Details online at http://www.shambalafestival.org/essential-info/sustainability/.
34
Ben Marchini, Paul Fleming and Christopher Maughan, Reducing Electricity related Greenhouse Gas Emissions at Music Festivals (De Montfort University, Leicester: 2012)Impacts and Solutions: Waste
Waste is a visible symbol of the environmentally impactful behaviour of humans; it
highlights intrinsic weaknesses in our ability to develop efficient and productive systems
to deal with ‘stuff’.
In the UK, household recycling saves about 18 million tonnes of carbon emissions a year, which is the equivalent of taking
approximately 5 million cars off the road.35
Extracting new materials requires more energy, water and other resources than recycling existing materials. Recycling is a good
step forward, although the best thing is still to avoid using materials and creating waste altogether wherever possible.
Sending waste materials to landfill has multiple impacts. When materials are buried, we miss an opportunity to recover the valuable
energy that was used to extract them from the earth, transport and refine them. In the case of combustible and biodegradable
materials we also miss the opportunity to recover the (embodied) energy that is locked inside the materials themselves.
23 500
, 2.8KG
TONNES OF WASTE WASTE
IS CREATED AT UK MUSIC FESTIVALS ANNUALLY PER PERSON PER DAY
PUBLIC RECYCLING EXCHANGE
AT SHAMBALA FESTIVAL 2014
35
Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), Recycle Now. Online at http://www.recyclenow.com/recycle/why-recycle.
36
A.A. Siesse, Hazardous and Industrial Waste Proceedings, 27th Mid-Atlantic Conference, ed. A.K. Sengupta, (Technomic, Pennsylvania, USA: 1995) p.100–08.
37
In 2013, only 16% of the UK's 47 municipal waste incinerators had the capability to directly recover heat for use in hot water or for heating buildings. Incinerators are often located away from properties
that may benefit from surplus heat, due to their reputation for polluting the air.
38
There are only two municipal waste incinerators in the UK which meet the efficiency threshold required to classify them as 'recovery' operations meaning that the remaining 45 facilities are classified as
having the same environmental impact as landfill. Source online at http://www.ipcc-nggip.iges.or.jp/public/gp/bgp/5_3_Waste_Incineration.pdf.
39
This figure is calculated using the Julie's Bicycle Benchmark of 2.8 kg of waste per audience day, and an annual festival attendance of 3.17 million / average festival length of 2.7 days from UK Music's
19
Music Tourism: Wish You Were Here (2013).
40
WasteDataFlow statistics. Online at http://www.wastedataflow.org.
41
Based on outdoor music festivals serviced by Greenbox Events and previously Network Recycling UK from 2005–2015.Impacts and Solutions: Waste
Biodegradable (‘organic’) materials cause the biggest problem At the end of 2014 Julie’s Bicycle was, for the first time, able
in landfill sites because when they break down they produce to present data on waste and recycling rates at festivals.
methane, a potent greenhouse gas (20 times more harmful They estimated that the amount of waste produced per
than C02). All modern landfill sites are required to have person per day onsite was around 2.8 kg, which scales up to
methane capture systems that often divert the gas to engines around 23,500 tonnes of waste generated by the UK festival
for generating electricity. However, approximately 25% of the industry each year.39 The events that reported data achieved
gas escapes (fugitive emissions) into the atmosphere, meaning average recycling rates of 32%. To put this in context,
landfills account for over 40% of the UK’s methane emissions. national household recycling rates in the UK are currently
Leachate from these organic wastes, together with various around 47% and the UK has a statutory obligation under the
toxic chemicals, also escapes from landfill sites into the land Waste Framework Directive (2008) to recycle or reuse 55% of
and watercourses. 36
household waste by 2020.40
One alternative to landfill is to send waste to an incinerator Greenbox Events, one of the UK’s most diligent sustainable
and generate a small amount of electricity from the heat.37 This event waste management contractors, report average recycling
solution helps to promote the ‘zero waste to landfill’ message rates for festivals of 24%. Many large festivals provide little
41
but in reality offers only a marginally reduced environmental or no recycling facilities at all. Furthermore, misreporting
impact because much of the embodied energy in raw materials waste figures is common in the industry — due to lack of
is still lost, and approximately 50–67% of the combusted understanding about how to report figures, the absence of an
material is comprised of plastic which is made from fossil industry standard and a willingness to please clients with good
fuel chemicals.38 Considering the above facts it’s clear that figures — making it difficult to establish how much waste is
reusing or recycling materials is immeasurably better than actually being recycled at UK events.
incineration or landfill.
RECYCLING WAITING FOR COLLECTION AT LATITUDE 2015Reporting accurate MINIMISATION AND
waste figures PREVENTION
Reporting on waste is problematic due to the complex-
ity of the UK’s waste treatment systems and confusion PREPARING
over how to describe what has happened to waste after FOR RE-USE
it leaves the site.
The European Waste Hierarchy provides a framework
that sets out very specific criteria for how to describe RECYCLING
the way that waste has been treated. It also describes
the most environmentally beneficial way of treating
waste so that the least damaging options can be chosen.
RECOVERY
Under the UK Waste Regulations (2011) all businesses
are required to apply the Waste Hierarchy when dispos-
ing of their waste. Waste ‘collectors’ must also provide
separate bins for segregating cans, plastics, paper and DISPOSAL
glass; providing a single bin is no longer an option at
events.
Waste is a persistent and visible issue for festivals. A tents and camping equipment, with 79% saying they were
particular challenge is the culture of leaving tents and other ‘too tired’ post Festival and 59% viewing tents and camping
campsite waste at the end of events, which costs organisers equipment as ‘cheap and easily replaceable'. This means
money and creates negative media exposure. The issue has potentially 13,500 tents are abandoned every year — if the
become a key focus for festivals, with initiatives such as ‘Leave average cost of a tent is £40, then the approximate cost to
No Trace’ or ‘Love Your Tent’ seeking to engage audiences but audiences of equipment left behind is over £500,000.
showing limited success to date.
Another challenge for sustainable waste management at
In an AIF audience survey nearly 7% of respondents who festivals is the difficulty of implementing recycling-on-the-go
camped at an event in 2013 admitted to leaving their tent systems in a fast-moving environment where audiences aren’t
behind, either because it was broken (the most popular necessarily focused on selecting the right bin. The lack of
excuse), because clearly signed specialist waste containers available in the UK
they couldn’t bear will continue to present a barrier to organisers, whose efforts
to carry it, because are often thwarted by recycling loads being rejected at waste
it was cheap and management facilities due to contamination.
they could get
another one, or Some UK festivals have begun to address the waste issue
because they lost by controlling how much waste is created in the first place
it. Multiplied by
42
through the use of reusable cup systems, which are already
the total number far more widespread on the continent. A natural extension
of AIF festivalgoers in 2013, that means an estimated 18,000 to this concept is for organisers to consider the reusability of
tents left behind by AIF member festivalgoers, or nearly all disposable items used on their events sites including food
54 metric tonnes of tent-related rubbish potentially sent to service disposables, infrastructure and decor.
landfill. In addition, recent research by Festival Republic as
part of an Innovate UK project, found that approximately
45,000 tents are brought to Reading Festival annually. It was
discovered that 30% of Reading Festival attendees leave their
42
AIF Audience Survey (AIF: 2014) 21Impacts and Solutions: Waste
The Festival Industry Green Manifesto Survey asked festivals organisers what waste
management practices they had in place with the following results: 43
90
80 WASTE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
70
REPORTED BY FESTIVAL
60
50
ORGANISERS
40
30
55%
36%
64%
34%
74%
81%
51%
20
10
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This survey is likely to have attracted festial organisers who already have a commitment to recycling, and thus is not
representative of industry-wide practice. However it offers an indication of what festivals who are engaged are focusing on, and
it’s interesting to note that only a third have recycling targets in place. We also know that the most common approach to waste
management at events is either the two-bin front of house approach or mass clearance post event: these systems both rely on off-
site recycling, which can make it harder to achieve accurate reporting.
OVERVIEW OF POTENTIAL FOR REDUCTIONS
OVERVIEW OF THE IMPACT OF WASTE ON UK FESTIVAL CARBON FOOTPRINTS AND THE FEASIBILITY OF REDUCTION MEASURES
Typical percentage that waste contributes to the onsite carbon 35%
footprint of a festival
Total amount CO2e produced by festivals annually due to waste 7,000 tonnes
Total amount of waste generated by festivals annually 23,500 tonnes
Key opportunities to reduce waste and associated impacts • Reduce the amount of materials consumed.
• Increase re-use rates for materials and adopt
solutions like reusable cups.
• Increase recycling and compost rates.
• Use more sustainable products and materials.
Summary of the feasibility of opportunities to reduce waste • Opportunity for financial savings through
avoided disposal charges.
• Increasing numbers of event cleansing
contractors now provide an environmentally
responsible service.
22 43
Festival Industry Green Manifesto Survey (Kambe Events et al: May 2015)You can also read
